Pick up any personal-care or household product in your home. Chances are the first ingredient on the label is water.

That doesn't mean these products are diluted. Water exists in beauty and home products for a reason. For starters, it helps dissolve water-soluble active ingredients like vitamin C. It also improves product consistency. For example, oil-based balms are often thick and solid, while serums and cleansers are smooth and silky. Lastly, water is fairly cheap, which keeps the cost of shampoos and body washes relatively low.

But using this much water in our products has its drawbacks as well. For one, water creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which means brands must add preservatives to keep their formulas in tip-top shape. In addition, using water has a negative environmental impact. These diluted formulas require more plastic packaging to contain them, which then leads to more environmental waste.

In order to combat these downsides, brands have come up with a few innovative packaging and formula solutions that are completely waterless.

Instead of a sudsy goop, this wash is made out of dissolvable sheets. Simply place a sheet under water and watch it bubble up. The plastic refillable holder dispenses the sheets like a pack of Hubba Bubba bubble gum. When finished, just replace it with a new roll. The soap contains hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf, and shea butter to gently cleanse skin without stripping.

Consider your shower bottle-free from here on out. Shampoo bars are not anything new, but their unique form can be a tough sell. Lather between your palms with water from your shower for sufficient suds to run through your strands. This color-safe bar uses coconut oil and rice protein to cleanse and nourish strands.

Cleaning products are no exception to the water rule. Instead of buying new spray bottles every time you need a multipurpose cleaner, buy a reusable glass spray bottle and dump in this concentrate. Fill the spray with water, and voila, feel free to spritz away. Once finished, just start the process again.

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